Chapter 5: Awkward Cake and Cardboard Pizza

The day after the breakup, Caleb—who’d ghosted me for a week—showed up at my dorm, looking like he’d slept in his clothes for days.

“Can we talk?”

People passing by shot us curious looks. When had Caleb Brooks ever looked this rough? Because of me? Doubtful.

We went to a coffee shop just off campus—my call this time.

They serve a dessert I love. I’d invited Caleb a few times before, but he always turned me down.

The place smelled like cinnamon and old wood. The barista greeted me by name. A couple of frat guys argued over fantasy football at the next table. I let their noise fill the awkward silence.

I took a bite of cake and tried to taste it, but it just turned to cardboard in my mouth.

“Why’d you come out? Doesn’t she need you to take care of her?”

“Do you have to talk like that?”

“Like what? I’m just asking. Doesn’t Erin need you?”

He sighed and pushed his coffee away.

“I know you’re upset, but I haven’t done anything wrong. I’m not about to beg. So—do you want to break up?”

By now, I’d stabbed the little heart-shaped decoration on my cake until it was just crumbs.

The silver fork scraped the plate, a harsh little sound between us.

“It’s not about wanting to break up. It’s already over.”

Caleb’s face was colder than the iced Americano he barely touched.

He deleted all my contact info right in front of me.

“Hope you don’t regret it.”

He stood to go. As he passed, I caught the hem of his shirt.

Looking up, I caught a flicker of a smile he didn’t mean to show.

But he misunderstood.

I looked him in the eye. “As an ex-boyfriend, we should split the bill for this meal.”

He blinked in surprise, let out a short laugh, and walked out. I paid my half, counting out exact change.